Effective Writing Instruction

Reading and writing are complementary skills; you read text that’s written, and you create text to be read. Both skills need to be explicitly taught and rigorously practiced since the human brain isn’t hard-wired for either one [see our blog post here]. We’ve talked on this blog about many different approaches to reading instruction. Now, … Continue reading “Effective Writing Instruction”


Purposeful Reading

Reading is like any other activity; the more you know what you want to get out of it, the more benefit you’ll derive.  Too often, though, we simply crack open a book and turn to page one without a thought about the process. That can lead to missed information; confusion about characters, plot, or informational … Continue reading “Purposeful Reading”


Study Skills Part 4 – Taking Notes

Note taking, whether in school or in a job meeting, is a crucial skill. It not only forces you to think about what is being said, but it also serves as material you can review when you want to revisit key topics or details. For the purposes of this blog, we’ll discuss taking notes as … Continue reading “Study Skills Part 4 – Taking Notes”


Study Skills Part 2 – Reading Comprehension

Last week we talked about the many types and aspects of listening. Today we’re going to address a somewhat related topic – reading comprehension. As with listening, reading has many different parts, and it is a skill; like any skill, you need to practice to get better at it. Children start learning to read with the … Continue reading “Study Skills Part 2 – Reading Comprehension”